chiliocosm), there are growing, on the mountains, along the rivers and
streams, in the valleys and on the lands, plants, trees, thickets,
forests, and medicinal herbs, of various and numerous kinds, with names
and forms all different. A dense cloud spreads over and everywhere
covers the whole Three-Thousand-Great-Thousandfold-World, and pours
down its rain equally at the same time. Its moisture universally
fertilizes the plants, trees, thickets, forests and medicinal herbs,
with their tiny roots, tiny stalks, tiny twigs, tiny leaves; their
medium roots, medium stalks, medium twigs, medium leaves; their
big roots, big stalks, big twigs, and big leaves; every tree, big or
little, according to its superior, middle or lower capacity, receives
its share. From the rain of the one cloud, each according to its
species acquires its growth and the profusion of its flowers and fruit.
Though produced in the same soil and moistened by the same rain, yet
these plants and trees are all different.
[Illustration: 5. Buddha divides the swollen torrent and walks over
dryshod]
“Know, Kaśyapa! The Tathagata is also like this; He appears in the
world like the rising of a great cloud, with a great sound universally
extending over the world of gods, men, and asuras, just as that great
cloud everywhere covers the Three-Thousand-Great-Thousandfold-Region.
In the great assembly he chants forth these words: ‘I am the Tathagata,
the Worshipful, the All Wise, of Perfectly Enlightened Conduct, the
Well-Departed, the Understander of the World, the Peerless Leader, the
Controller, the Teacher of gods and men, the Buddha, the World-honoured
One. Those who have not yet been saved I cause to be saved; those who
have not yet been set free to be set free; those who have not yet been
comforted to be comforted; those who have not yet obtained nirvana to
obtain nirvana. I know the present world and the world to come, as they
really are. I am the All-knowing, the All-seeing, the Knower of the
Way, the Opener of the Way, the Preacher of the Way. Come to me, all ye
gods, men, and asuras, to hear the Law.’ Then, numberless thousands,
myriads, kotis of classes of living beings come to the Buddha to hear
the Law. Thereupon the Tathagata, observing the natural powers
of these beings, keen or dull, zealous or indifferent, according to
their capacity preaches to them the Law in varying and unstinted ways,
causing them to rejoice and joyfully to obtain much profit. All those
living beings, on hearing this Law, are comforted in the present life
and afterwards will be born in happy states, made joyful by the Truth,
and will also hear the Law. Having heard the Law, they are freed from
hindrances and, according to their capacity in the laws, they gradually
enter the Way.
“Just as that great cloud, raining on all the plants, trees, thickets,
forests, and medicinal herbs, and according to the nature of their
seed perfectly fertilizes them, so that each grows and develops, in
like manner the Law preached by the Tathagata is of one form and one
flavour, that is to say, Deliverance, Abandonment, Extinction, and
finally the attainment of Perfect Knowledge. If there be living beings
who hear the Law of the Tathagata and keep, read, recite and practise
it as preached, their achievements will not give them self-knowledge.
Wherefore? Because there is only the Tathagata who knows the Seed,
the Form, the Embodiment, and the Nature of all these living beings,
what things they are reflecting upon, what things they are thinking,
what things practising, how reflecting, how thinking, how practising,
by what method reflecting, by what method thinking, by what method
practising, and by what laws attaining to what laws. There is only
the Tathagata who in reality sees, clearly and without hindrance,
the varying stages in which all living beings are. It is like
those plants, trees, thickets, forests, medicinal herbs, and others
which do not know their own natures, superior, middle, or inferior.
The Tathagata knows this unitary essential Law, that is to say,
Deliverance, Abandonment, Extinction, final Nirvana of eternal rest,
ending in return to the Void. The Buddha, knowing this and observing
the disposition of all living beings, carefully leads them on. For this
reason He does not immediately declare to them the complete and perfect
wisdom. Kaśyapa! All of you! A most rare thing it is that you should be
able to know the Law preached by the Tathagata as he sees fit, and be
able to believe and to receive it. Wherefore? Because the Law preached
by Buddhas, the World-honoured Ones, as they see fit, is difficult to
discern and difficult to know.”
The following are selections from the section in verse:
“Know, Kaśyapa!
It is like unto a great cloud
Rising above the world,
Covering all things everywhere,
A gracious cloud full of moisture;
Lightning-flames flash and dazzle,
Voice of thunder vibrates afar,
Bringing joy and ease to all.
The sun’s rays are veiled,
And the earth is cooled;
The cloud lowers and spreads
As if it might be caught and gathered;
Its rain everywhere equally
Descends on all sides,
Streaming and pouring unstinted,
Permeating the land.
On mountains, by rivers, in valleys,
In hidden recesses, there grow
The plants, trees, and herbs;
Trees, both great and small,
The shoots of the ripening grain,
Grape vine and sugar-cane.
Fertilized are these by the rain
And abundantly enriched;
The dry ground is soaked,
Herbs and trees flourish together.
From the one water which
Issued from that cloud,
Plants, trees, thickets, forests,
According to need receive moisture.
All the various trees,
Lofty, medium, low,
Each according to its size,
Grows and develops
Roots, stalks, branches, leaves,
Blossoms and fruits in their brilliant colours;
Wherever the one rain reaches,
All become fresh and glossy.
According as their bodies, forms
And natures are great or small,
So the enriching (rain),
Though it is one and the same,
Yet makes each of them flourish.
In like manner also the Buddha
Appears here in the World,
Like unto a great cloud
Universally covering all things;
And having appeared in the world,
He, for the sake of the living,
Discriminates and proclaims
The truth in regard to all laws.
The Great Holy World-honoured One,
Among the gods and men
And among the other beings,
Proclaims abroad this word:
‘I am the Tathagata,
The Most Honoured among men;
I appear in the world
Like unto this great cloud,
To pour enrichment on all
Parched living beings,
To free them from their misery
To attain the joy of peace,
Joy of the present world,
And joy of Nirvana.
Gods, men, and every one!
Hearken well with your mind,
Come you here to me,
Behold the Peerless Honoured One!
I am the World-honoured,
Who cannot be equalled.
To give rest to every creature,
I appear in the world,
And, to the hosts of the living,
Preach the pure Law, sweet as dew;
The one and only Law
Of deliverance and Nirvana.
With one transcendent voice
I proclaim this truth,
Ever taking the Great-Vehicle
As my subject.
Upon all I ever look
Everywhere impartially,
Without distinction of persons,
Or mind of love or hate.
I have no predilections
Nor any limitations;
Ever to all beings
I preach the Law equally;
As I preach to one person,
So I preach to all.
Ever I proclaim the Law,
Engaged in naught else;
Going, coming, sitting, standing,
Never am I weary of
Pouring it copious on the world,
Like the all-enriching rain.
On honoured and humble, high and low,
Law-keepers, and law-breakers,
Those of perfect character,
And those of imperfect,
Orthodox and heterodox,
Quick witted and dull witted,
Equally I rain the Law-rain
Unwearyingly’.”
VI
Turning to the great audience, the Buddha predicts for Maha-Kaśyapa
and the other three elders their future as Buddhas in worlds to
come, and extends his prediction to other disciples.
Maha-Kaśyapa will be the Buddha Radiance, whose realm will be
Radiant Virtue, and his kalpa Magnificent.
“His domain will be beautiful, free from dirt, shards, thorns and
uncleanness; its land will be level and straight with no uneven
places, neither hollows nor mounds; its ground will be lapis lazuli;
it will have rows of jewel-trees, golden cords to set bounds to the
ways, be strewn with precious flowers, and purity will reign
everywhere.” Its bodhisattvas will be innumerable. “No Mara-deeds
will be there, for, though Mara and Mara’s people dwell in that
land, they will care for its Buddha-law.”
The elder Subhuti will be the Buddha Name-and-Form, in the domain
Jewel-land, with crystal for its ground; his aeon will be
Jewel-kalpa.
The elder Maha-Katyayana will be the Buddha Golden Light, his domain
will have crystal for ground, but his kalpa and domains are
described without name.
The fourth elder Maha-Maudgalyayana will be the Buddha Sandalwood
Fragrance, in the domain Gladsome Mind, with crystal for ground, and
his kalpa will be Joyful.
Each section is, as usual, done into verse, but there is nothing of
outstanding interest or value. The chief feature worthy of note is,
that the author makes all four of the leading disciples of Śakyamuni
announce their rejection of the hinayana doctrines, in favour of
mahayana teaching. They proclaim their realization, which they
certainly never had in their lifetime, that the Buddha’s earlier
teaching was temporary, awaiting the greater revelation presented in
this Sutra.
VII
The Buddha now addresses the body of his disciples, telling them
that once upon a time there was a Buddha named
Universal-Surpassing-Wisdom. An immeasurable time has passed since
his Nirvana, and the Buddha tries to impress on his hearers the
meaning of timelessness in the following manner:
“Suppose the earth element in a Three-Thousand-Great-Thousandfold-World
were by some one ground into ink, and he were to pass through a
thousand realms in an eastern direction, and then let fall one drop
as large as a grain of dust; again, passing through another thousand
realms, once more he let fall one drop; suppose he thus proceeds until
he has finished the ink made of the earth-element—what is your opinion?
All these realms—is it possible for mathematicians, or their disciples,
to find their end or confines so as to know their number?”
“No, World-honoured One!”
“Bhikshus! Suppose all those realms which that man has passed, where
he has dropped a drop and where he has not, were ground to dust, and
suppose one grain of the dust be a kalpa—the time since that Buddha
became extinct till now still exceeds those numbers by innumerable,
infinite, hundreds, thousands, myriads, kotis of asamkhyeya kalpas. By
the power of my Buddha-wisdom, I observe that distant time as if it
were only to-day.”
The whole story is too long for insertion here. In brief, the
Buddha, Universal-Surpassing-Wisdom, after routing the army of Mara,
common to Buddha-realms, sat cross-legged, motionless in mind and
body, for ten minor kalpas, but still did not attain to Perfect
Enlightenment.
“Then the gods of Indra’s heavens spread for that Buddha a lion-throne,
a yojana high, under a bodhi-tree, so that the Buddha might on this
throne attain Perfect Enlightenment. No sooner was he seated on it,
than the Brahma heavenly kings rained down celestial flowers over an
area of a hundred yojanas. A fragrant wind from time to time arose,
sweeping away the flowers as they withered and raining fresh ones.”
Other wonders are described until, at the end of ten minor kalpas,
the great Buddha-law of Perfect Enlightenment is revealed. His
sixteen sons, born while he was a prince before he left home to
become a monk, also his father, with his hundred ministers and
myriads of people, all drew near to the Throne of Enlightenment,
doing homage to its occupant. They besought him to roll the Wheel of
the Law and proclaim the Truth.
At the moment when this Buddha attained Perfect Enlightenment the
whole universe was shaken, a light shone in regions where light had
never shown before, and wherever light was known its shining was
doubled in intensity.
The Brahma-kings astonished cry:
“In all our palaces
Ne’er has been such shining:
What may be its cause?
Let us investigate.
Has a great good god been born,
Or a Buddha appeared in the world,
That this great brilliance
Illuminates the universe?”
Thereupon the Brahma-kings of the East in five hundred myriad kotis
of realms, with all their palace train, each follower bearing a
great bag, full of celestial flowers, set forth to investigate the
sign. They found the Buddha surrounded by vast expectant throngs,
and immediately joined them, strewing their flowers before his feet
till they rose high as Mount Sumeru, and each offering to him his
magnificent palace. In like manner there appeared, in turn, the
Brahma-kings of each of the other regions, making similar offerings.
This is told in plenitude of detail, covering many pages of prose
and verse. The four quarters, together with the zenith and nadir,
are each portrayed in similar style, with sufficient variation to
avoid mere verbal repetition.
The light that shone through all the worlds was the Light of Truth
dawning on the awakening Buddha. It was the Radiance of Perfect
Enlightenment, of which the Mahayana is the conveyer. The
Brahma-kings chant:
“Kalpas untold from of yore
Have passed empty without a Buddha;
A World-honoured One not appearing,
Darkness has everywhere reigned;
The three evil states were thriving,
Flourishing were the demons,
While the heavenly host dwindled
And perished in evil estate,
Not hearing the Law from a Buddha.
. . . . .
The Buddha, the eye of the world,
Now after long ages appears;
Through pity for the living
In the world he is revealed,
Surpassing in Perfect Enlightenment
. . . . .
All our palaces, made beauteous
With this supernal Light,
We offer to the World-Honoured.
. . . . .
World-Honoured! roll the Law-wheel!
Beat the drum of the dew-sweet Law,
Save the suffering living
Reveal the Nirvana-Way!”
Then the Buddha Universal-Surpassing-Wisdom is represented as
following the tactical method of Buddhas, that of preaching first
the four noble truths concerning Pain and its cure, i.e. the fact
and nature of suffering; the assembling (or, focussing) of
suffering; the possibility of the extinction of suffering; the way
of its extinction. This he followed with the Law of the Twelve
Causes of reincarnation and their annihilation. Such is, of course,
the preparatory or hinayana method; yet, as the result of it, the
sixteen princes and myriads of others “were freed from faults, all
obtaining the profound, mystic meditations, the Three Clear (Views)
and the Six Transcendent (Faculties) and thus accomplished the Eight
Emancipations”. Likewise, at a second, a third, and a fourth time of
preaching the Law, “beings as sands of the Ganges were freed from
faults.”
The sixteen royal sons became monks, served myriads of Buddhas, and
then besought the Buddha, their father, to preach the Law of Perfect
Enlightenment! The vast host added their appeal, and “after two
myriad kalpas had passed, in the midst of the four groups he
preached this Mahayana Sutra named ‘The Lotus Flower of the
Wonderful Law’.” “For eight thousand kalpas he continued preaching
this Sutra without cessation. When he had finished, he then entered
a quiet room and remained in meditation during eighty-four thousand
kalpas.” During this period his sixteen sons preached everywhere the
Sutra of the Wonderful Law-Flower, saving incalculable numbers of
beings.
After eighty-four thousand kalpas had passed, the Buddha, Great
Universal Master of Wisdom, arose from his trance-like meditation,
ascended the Law-throne, and addressed the vast assembly, calling on
them to pay homage to his sixteen sons because they had universally
preached the Lotus Sutra.
.....
Śakyamuni, having told this story of the former Buddha, now declared
that the sixteen sons, who became Buddhas, possessed their
Buddha-realms in the eight directions. Two of them were in the
eastern region, two in the south-eastern, and so on. Their titles
are given. The fifteenth and sixteenth were in the north-eastern
region, one of them being named “Destroyer of Fear in all the
world”, the other was Śakyamuni himself, who has now at last reached
the stage of Perfect Enlightenment in this world.
He tells the disciples, that they have all been his disciples in
former states of existence. “All those beings, innumerable as the
sands of Ganges, whom I converted at that time, are you yourselves,
and you will be my disciples in future worlds after my extinction.”
“In other realms I shall still be Buddha though under different
names.” The meaning seems to be that the One Buddha appears in
countless worlds, One yet infinite in number. Each personal
incarnation of the Buddhas, each embodiment, so to speak, has its
own characteristic, but there is only One Buddha in and through all
these various manifestations. It is, of course, not clear from this
chapter alone that the One Buddha is personal, and not an
abstraction like Wisdom, but the general interpretation favours one
personal Buddha, whom Dr. Timothy Richard has not hesitated to call
God.
[Illustration: 6. Buddha tells his disciples the story of a former
Buddha]
“Monks!” says the Buddha, “If a Tathagata himself knows that the time
of his Nirvana has arrived, and that his assembly is purified, is firm
in faith and discernment, penetrated with the Law of the Void, and
profound in meditation, then he gathers together his bodhisattvas to
preach this Sutra to them. In the world there is no second vehicle for
attaining to extinction; there is only the One Buddha-Vehicle for such
attainment. Know, bhikshus! The tact of the Tathagata penetrates deeply
into the natures of all living beings, and knows that they are bent on
the enjoyment of trifling things and deeply attached to human desires.
It is for the sake of these he preaches Nirvana.”
_The Magic City_
“Suppose, there is a fearful region, five hundred yojanas in extent,
through which lies a perilous and difficult road, far from the abodes
of men. Suppose there is a large company wishing to pass along that
road to the Place of Jewels, and they have a guide, wise and astute,
who knows well the perilous road, where it is open and where closed,
and who leads the company that wish to cross this arduous region.
Suppose on the way the company he leads become weary and lagging and
say to the leader: ‘We are utterly exhausted, and moreover afraid,
and cannot go any farther; the road before us stretches far; let us
turn back.’ The leader, a man of much tact, reflects thus: ‘These
people are to be pitied. How can they give up such great treasure and
seek to turn back?’ Reflecting thus, by a device, in the midst of the
perilous road, he magically raises a city over three hundred yojanas
in extent, and says to the company: ‘Do not fear, and do not turn
back. Here is this great city in which you may stay and follow your
own desires. If you enter this city, you will speedily be at ease; and
if you then are able to go forward to the Place of Jewels, you may
proceed.’
“Thereupon the exhausted company are greatly rejoiced in mind, and
praise their unexampled fortune: ‘Now indeed we shall escape this evil
way and speedily be at ease.’ Then the company proceed into the magic
city, imagining they have arrived at their destination and are settled
in comfort. When the leader perceives that the company are rested and
are no longer fatigued, he makes the magic city disappear, and says to
the company: ‘Come along, all of you, the Place of Jewels is at hand. I
only created this past large city for you to rest a while.’
“Bhikshus! So is it with the Tathagata. At present he is your great
Leader, acquainted with the distresses, the evils, the perils and the
long-continued processes of mortality, from which you must be rid and
removed. If living beings only hear of One Buddha-Vehicle, they will
not desire to see the Buddha, nor wish to draw nigh to him, but think
thus—‘the Buddha-Way is long and far; only after undergoing long and
bitter toil, can the end be reached’. The Buddha, knowing how feeble
and low are their minds, by his tact, while they are on the way,
preaches the two stages of Nirvana, in order to give them rest. If
those beings remain in these secondary stages, then the Tathagata
proceeds to tell them: ‘You have not yet accomplished your task. The
place where you are dwelling is near to the Buddha-Wisdom. Take note
and ponder that the Nirvana to which you have attained is not the real
one!’ It is only the Tathagata’s device which distinguishes and speaks
of the One Buddha-Vehicle as Three. He is just like that leader who,
in order to give rest to his company, magically makes a great city and
after they are rested informs them saying: ‘The Place of Jewels is near
at hand; this city is not real, but only my magic production’.”
The verse section of the Magic City is as follows:
“It is like to a perilous way,
Cut off, full of venomous beasts,
Without either water or grass,
A region of terror to men.
A throng, countless thousands, myriads,
Wish to traverse this perilous way,
Far and long indeed is the road,
Through five hundred yojanas.
Then there appears a leader,
Strong of sense and wise,
Clear-headed, resolute,
Who in peril saves from danger.
Exhausted and worn, these people
Cry to the leader, saying:
‘Weary and worn are we,
Let us turn back from here.’
The leader reflects within:
‘To be pitied are these poor folk!
How can they wish to turn back
And miss so great a treasure?’
Instant a device occurs—
‘Let me use supernatural power
And make a great magic city,
With houses splendid adorned,
Surrounded with gardens and groves
Streamlets and bathing pools,
Massive gates and towers,
Full both of men and women.’
Making this transformation,
He pacifies them, saying: ‘Fear not!
Enter all of you into this city,
Let each enjoy himself at will.’
When those people had entered the city,
Their hearts were full of joy,
They only thought of rest and ease,
And considered they had been saved.
When the leader knew they were rested,
He assembled and spoke to them saying:
‘All of you now press forward!
This was but an illusory city.
Seeing you were worn out
And wishing to turn back midway,
I, therefore, by a device,
Temporarily made this city.
Do you diligently now advance
Together to the Place of Jewels.’
I, too, in equal manner,
Am the Leader of all the living.
Seeing the seekers of the Way,
Midway becoming wearied,
Unable to cross the perilous ways
Of mortality and delusion.
So I, by expedient methods,
For their ease preached Nirvana, saying:
‘Your sufferings now are ended;
All your toil is finished!’
When I knew you had reached Nirvana
And all had become Arhats,
Then I gathered you together
And preached to you the real Law.
Buddhas in their tactfulness,
Separately preach the Three Vehicles;
Though there is but the One Buddha-Vehicle;
Only as resting-places are Two preached.
Now I preach to you the truth;
What you have reached is not the extinction.
To obtain perfect Buddha-knowledge,
Exert yourselves with utmost zeal!
Prove the Perfect Knowledge,
The Ten Powers of the Buddha-Laws,
Perfect the Thirty-two Signs—
Then that is the real extinction.
The Buddhas, the onward Leaders,
Call the resting-place Nirvana,
But, perceiving their people rested,
They lead on to Buddha-Wisdom.”
VIII
Leaving his seat, the disciple Purna now prostrates himself before
the Buddha, then rises and gazes transfixed upon his honoured
countenance. Thereupon the Buddha praises Purna as the greatest of
his preachers, not only in this world, but in many previous
existences under many Buddhas. He foretells that when he has
accomplished his course he will become the Buddha
Radiance-of-the-Law, whose land will consist of “the seven precious
things”, “its ground level as the palm of the hand, free from hills
and valleys, runnels and ditches”. In its sky, “men and gods will
meet and behold each other. There will be no evil ways, and no
womankind, for all living beings will be born by transformation and
have no carnal passion. They will attain to great transcendent
powers; their bodies will emit rays of light; they will fly anywhere
at will”. Their food will be Joy-in-the-Law, and
Gladness-in-Meditation. His domain will be Excellent-Purity and his
kalpa Jewel-Radiance.
In the verse section occur the following lines:
“Bhikshus! Attentively listen to me!
The Way my Buddha-son has walked,
Through studying well expediency,
Surpasses all conception far.
Knowing all beings enjoy mere trifles
And are afraid of the greater wisdom,
The Bodhisattvas, therefore, become
Sravakas or Pratyekabuddhas.
By numberless expedient methods
All kinds of beings they then convert,
Saying: ‘We are only Sravakas,
Far removed from Buddhahood.’
Innumerable beings they thus release,
Each completing his varied course;
Even the lax and low-disposed
Become Buddhas by gradual stage.
Hiding their Bodhisattva-deeds,
Externally they are as Sravakas;
With few desires, disliking mortal life,
They truly purify their Buddha-land,
Appearing possessed of human passions
And seeming to hold heretical views.
Thus do my disciples
Tactfully save all beings.
If I fully explained
Their varied transformations,
Beings who heard of them
Would be perplexed and puzzled.
. . . . .
Their meat is joy in the Law
And pleasure in meditation,
With never a thought of other;
No womankind will be there,
Nor any evil ways.
My disciple Bhikshu Purna,
His merits all complete,
Shall gain this pure land
Where the wise and the sage abound.
Such are the measureless things
I have now but briefly hinted.”
After this the Buddha predicts the future of five hundred other
disciples, each of whom, when he has served sixty-two thousand kotis
of Buddhas, will themselves, one after another, become Buddhas, each
of whom will be called Universal-Light. These five hundred disciples,
“ecstatic with joy, instantly rise from their seats, go before the
Buddha, make obeisance at his feet, repent of their errors, and rebuke
themselves, saying: ‘World-honoured One! We have constantly been
thinking we had attained to final Nirvana. Now we know that we were
just as the foolish ones. Wherefore? Because we ought to have obtained
the Tathagata-wisdom, and yet were content with the inferior knowledge.
“World-honoured One! It is as if some man goes to an intimate friend’s
house, gets drunk, and falls asleep. Meanwhile his friend, having to go
forth on official duty, ties a priceless jewel within the man’s garment
as a present, and departs. The man being drunk and asleep knows nothing
of this. On arising he travels onwards till he reaches some other
country where, striving for food and clothing, he labours diligently,
undergoes exceeding great hardship, and is content even if he can
obtain but a little. Later, his friend happens to meet him and speaks
thus—‘Tut! Sir! How is it you have come down to this, merely for
the sake of food and clothing? Wishing you to be in comfort and able
to satisfy your five senses, I formerly in such a year and month and
on such a day, tied a priceless jewel within your garment. Now as of
old it is present there, yet you in ignorance are slaving and worrying
to keep yourself alive. How very stupid! Go you now and exchange that
jewel for what you need, and for ever hereafter live as you will, free
from poverty and shortage.’”
“Like this also were we.
For long has the One World-honoured
Always pitied and taught us
To cultivate supreme aspiration;
But, because of our ignorance,
We neither perceived nor knew it;
Gaining but a trifle of Nirvana,
Contented we sought no more.
Now the Buddha awakens us,
Saying this is not real Nirvana;
In attaining supreme Buddha-wisdom,
Does real Nirvana lie.
Now we, having heard from the Buddha
Our prediction and its glory,
And the command we receive in turn,
Full of joy are we, body and soul.’
IX
The beloved disciple of Śakyamuni was Ananda, sometimes spoken of as
the St. John of the Buddha. He it was whose memory guarded the
Treasury, or Doctrine of the Master’s Law. Rahula was Śakyamuni’s
son born while he was Prince Gautama. These two, Ananda and Rahula
now come forward to the feet of Buddha. Both prostrate themselves
and implore that they too may share in this Mahayana glory.
“Ananda is always thy attendant, protecting and keeping the treasury
of the Law, and Rahula is the Buddha’s son. If the Buddha sees fit to
predict us to Perfect Enlightenment, our desires will be fulfilled and
every hope be satisfied.”
“Thereupon two thousand disciples, who had completed their hinayana
training, all rose from their seats, bared their right shoulders, went
before the Buddha, with one mind folded their hands, and gazed upon
the World-honoured One, wishing as Ananda and Rahula wished, and stood
there in line.
“Then the Buddha speaking to Ananda said: ‘In a future world you will
become a Buddha with the title of Sovereign-Universal-King-of-Wisdom
Mountain-high and Ocean-deep’.” His domain would be “Never-lowered
Banner of Victory”, and his aeon “Full of Wonder-Sound.”
Then follows this arresting endeavour to depict infinity:
“His lifetime will be such immeasurable thousands, myriads, kotis of
numberless kalpas, that even if a man tried to count them through
thousands, myriads, kotis, immeasurable, numberless kalpas it would be
impossible to know it.”
A certain perplexity and seeming envy is bruited among eight
thousand bodhisattvas in the assembly, which the Buddha appeases by
explaining the favour done to Ananda in this prediction. He tells
them that he and Ananda first met in the realm of the Buddha
King-of-the-Firmament, and there they together attained the concept
of Perfect Enlightenment. Ananda was the more meditative; Śakyamuni
the more energetic. Consequently Śakyamuni first attained to
Buddhahood, while Ananda became the studious rememberer of his
teaching. Until Ananda becomes Buddha, therefore, he will continue
to be Guardian-of-the-Law of future Buddhas, and instruct and bring
to perfection the host of bodhisattvas. “Such was his original vow,
and consequently he receives this prediction.”
Instantly Ananda recalls to mind the Law-treasuries in the past of
unlimited myriads, kotis of Buddhas, and understands them without
difficulty as if he were now hearing them, recalling also his
original vow:
“The rare World-honoured One
Recalls to my mind the Law
Of countless Buddhas past,
As if I were hearing it to-day.
I now, having no more doubts,
Take up my abode in Buddhahood.
With skilfulness will I serve
And care for the Buddha’s Law.”
Of Rahula it is foretold that he will become a Buddha entitled
“Treader on Seven-jewelled Lotuses”. He will “pay homage to
Buddha-Tathagatas equal in number to the atoms of ten worlds, always
as the eldest son of those Buddhas, just as at present”. The Buddha
says:
“When I was prince-royal
Rahula was my eldest son.
Now that I have attained Buddhahood
He, as Law-heir, inherits the Law.
In ages of the future,
Seeing infinite kotis of Buddhas,
To all he will be eldest son,
Whole-hearted seeking Buddhahood.”
The two thousand who, with appealing looks stand expectant, are now
blessed in like manner. They will each attain to be Buddhas, at the
same time obtaining a realm in infinite space. The title of each
Buddha will be “Jewel Emblem” and their realms in every respect will
be equal.
“In the future they will every one be Buddhas.
. . . . .
And will reach Perfect Enlightenment.
In domains in all directions
Each will have the same title.
Simultaneously on wisdom-thrones
They will prove the Supreme Wisdom.”
X
The Great Bodhisattva, mythical King of Healing, is now called forth
by the Buddha. Through him he addresses the “eighty thousand great
leaders”, saying:
“King of Healing! Do you see in this assembly innumerable gods,
dragon-kings, yakshas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras,
mahoragas, human and non-human beings, as well as monks, nuns, male
and female lay devotees, seekers after bodhisattvahood, sravakahood,
seekers after pratyeka-buddhahood, and seekers after Buddhahood? Such
beings as these, in the presence of the Buddha, if they hear but a
single verse, or a single word of the Wonderful Law-Flower Sutra, and
even by a single thought delight in it, I predict they will attain to
Perfect Enlightenment.”
“Again, let there be any who receive, keep, read, recite, expound
or copy even a single verse of the Wonderful Law-Flower Sutra, and
look upon this Sutra with reverence as if it were the Buddha, and
make offerings to it in various ways with flowers, perfume, garlands,
sandal-powder, perfumed unguents, incense for burning, silk-canopies,
banners, flags, garments, and music, or even pay homage to it with
folded hands; know, King of Healing, it is a sign that these people
have already paid homage to ten myriad kotis of Buddhas, and under
the Buddhas performed their great vows; therefore out of compassion
for all living beings, they are born among men.
“King of Healing! If there be any people who ask you what sort of
living beings will become Buddhas in future worlds, you should show
them that these are the people who will certainly become Buddhas in
those worlds. Wherefore? If my good sons and good daughters receive
and keep, read and recite, or expound, and copy even a single word in
the Law-Flower Sutra, and make offerings to it in various ways with
flowers, perfumes, garlands, sandal-powder, fragrant unguents, incense
for burning, silk-canopies, banners, flags, garments, and music, and
revere it with folded hands, these people should be looked up to by
all the worlds; and just as you pay homage to Tathagatas, so should
you pay homage to them. Know! These people are great Bodhisattvas
who, having accomplished Perfect Enlightenment and out of compassion
for all living beings, are willingly born into this world, widely to
proclaim and expound the Wonderful Law-Flower Sutra. How much more
those who are perfectly able to receive, keep, and in every way pay
homage to it! Know, King of Healing! These people will of themselves
abandon the reward of their purified karma, and after my extinction,
out of pity for all living beings, will be re-born in the evil world
and widely proclaim this Sutra. If these good sons and daughters,
after my extinction, should be able, even by stealth, to preach to
one person but one word of the Law-Flower Sutra, know, these people
are Tathagata-messengers sent by the Tathagata, to perform
Tathagata-deeds. How much more so those who in great assemblies widely
preach it to others!
“King of Healing! Even if there be some wicked person who out of
an evil mind, throughout a whole kalpa, in presence of the Buddha,
unceasingly abuses the Buddha, his sin is still light. But if any one,
even with a single ill word, defames lay devotees or monks who read
and recite the Law-Flower Sutra, his sin is extremely heavy. King of
Healing! Know that he who reads and recites the Law-Flower Sutra—that
man has adorned himself with the adornment of Buddha, and so is
carried by the Tathagata on his shoulder. Wherever he goes, he should
be saluted with hands whole-heartedly folded, revered, worshipped,
honoured, and extolled, and offerings made to him of flowers, perfumes,
garlands, sandal-powder, perfumed unguents, incense for burning,
silk-canopies, banners, flags, garments, edibles and dainties, and
music—he should be served with the most excellent offerings found
amongst men. Celestial jewels should be scattered before him and
heaped offerings made of celestial jewels. Wherefore? Because this
man delighting to preach the Law, they who hear it but for a moment
thereupon attain to Perfect Enlightenment.”
Then the World-honoured One, desiring to proclaim this teaching over
again, spoke thus in verse:
“Should one wish to dwell in Buddhahood
And attain to intuitive Wisdom,
He must always earnestly honour
The keepers of the Flower of the Law.
Should one wish quickly to attain
To complete omniscience,
He must receive and keep this Sutra
And honour those who keep it.
Should one be able to receive and keep
The Wonderful Law-Flower Sutra,
Let him know he is the Buddha’s messenger,
Who compassionates all living beings.
He who is able to receive and keep
The Wonderful Law-Flower Sutra,
Casting aside his Paradise, and,
From pity for the living, being re-born,
Know, such a man as this,
Free to be born where he will,
Is able, in this evil world,
Widely to preach the Supreme Law.
You should, with celestial flowers and perfumes,
Robes of heavenly jewels, and heaps
Of wonderful celestial jewels,
Pay homage to such a preacher of the Law.
In evil ages after my extinction
Those who are able to keep this Sutra
Must be worshipped with folded hands,
As if paying homage to the World-honoured One.
With the best of dainties and sweets,
And every kind of garment,
This son of Buddha should be worshipped
In hope of hearing him if but for a moment.
In future ages, if one is able
To receive and keep this Sutra,
I will send him to be amongst men,
To perform the task of the Tathagata.”
Again he addresses the King of Healing:
“Infinite thousands, myriads of kotis are the Sutras I preach, whether
already preached, now being preached, or to be preached in the future.
Among them all this Law-Flower Sutra is the most difficult to believe
and the most difficult to apprehend. King of Healing! This Sutra is the
very treasury of the secret of the Buddhas, and may not be recklessly
offered to men. It is guarded by Buddhas, World-honoured Ones, and from
of yore has never been divulged in the world. This Sutra, even while
the Buddha is still here, has aroused much enmity and envy; how much
more after his Nirvana?”
Thus does the author indicate that the doctrine of The Lotus is new
and subversive. The fact that he puts the new doctrine into the lips
of a spiritualized Buddha, in the form of a religious drama or
apocalypse, is far from patent to his Mahayana followers who, as
already stated, believe it to have been Śakyamuni’s final doctrine
while here on this earth.
“Know, King of Healing! After the Tathagata enters Nirvana, those who
are able to copy, keep, read, recite, worship or preach it to others,
will be invested by the Tathagata with his robes, and will be protected
and remembered by Buddhas now abiding in other regions.... Know, these
people shall dwell with the Tathagata, and his hand shall be upon their
heads.
“King of Healing! In every place where this Sutra is preached,
or read, or recited, or copied, or its volumes kept, one should
erect a Stupa of the Precious Seven, making it very high, spacious
and splendid. But there is no need to deposit any relics. Wherefore?
Because in it there is the whole body of the Tathagata (i.e. this
Sutra). This Sutra should be served, revered, honoured, and extolled
with all kinds of flowers, perfumes, garlands, silk-canopies, banners,
flags, music, and hymns. If any, seeing that Stupa, salute and worship
it, know, that they all are near to Perfect Enlightenment. King of
Healing! Many people there are, both laymen and monks, who walk in the
Bodhisattva-Way, without, as it were, being able to see, hear, read,
recite, copy, keep, and worship this Law-Flower Sutra. Know, that
those people are not yet rightly walking in the Bodhisattva-Way. But
if any hear this Sutra, then they shall be able to walk aright in the
Bodhisattva-Way. If any living beings who seek after the Buddha-Way,
either see or hear this Law-Flower Sutra, and after hearing it believe
and discern, receive and keep it, you may know that they are near to
Perfect Enlightenment.
“This Sutra opens the way from the expedient, partial method to the
full revelation of truth and reality. The treasury of this Law-Flower
Sutra is so deep and secure, so hidden and remote that no human being
can reach it. But now the Buddha has revealed it for instructing
bodhisattvas and bringing them to perfection.”
Should any good son or daughter resolve to preach this Sutra, let
that good son or daughter “enter into the Dwelling of the Tathagata,
be clad with the Robe of the Tathagata, and sit on the Seat of the
Tathagata.... The Dwelling of the Tathagata is the great compassionate
heart within all the living. The Robe of the Tathagata is the gentle
and forbearing heart. The Seat of the Tathagata is the “Spirituality of
all Existence”.
“King of Healing! I, though dwelling in another realm, will send
spirit-messengers to gather together hearers of the Law for that
preacher, and also send spirit monks and nuns, male and female
devotees, to hear such a one preach the Law. All these spirit-people,
hearing this Law, will unresistingly receive it in faith and obey it.
If the preacher of this Law should abide in a place remote from the
world, I will abundantly send gods, dragons, spirits, and others to
listen. Though I am in a different domain, I will from time to time
cause the preachers of this Law to behold me. If such a one forgets any
detail of this Sutra, I will return and tell him, that he may be in
perfect possession of it.
“If, when he preaches this Sutra,
Some with ill mouth should abuse,
Lay on swords, sticks, shards or stones,
Let him think of the Buddha and be patient.
In thousands, myriads of lands
I will appear with unperishing body
And, in infinite kotis of kalpas,
Preach this Law for all the living.
. . . . .
Dwells he alone in secluded place,
In solitude with no voice of man,
. . . . .
Then I unto him will appear
With a pure and shining body.”
XI
On to the stage now comes perhaps the most dramatic scene in the
whole pageant. Suddenly there springs up from the earth, to the
midst of the sky, a Stupa or Shrine, of stupendous size and
magnificence. It is made of the seven precious things, that is,
gold, silver, and various precious stones. It is
“splendidly adorned with five thousand parapets, thousands, myriads
of recesses, and countless banners and flags; it is hung with jewel
garlands; myriads and kotis of gem-bells are suspended on it. From it
comes the exquisite fragrance of rare sandal-wood, filling the whole
world. The thirty-three celestial gods rain celestial flowers upon
it. The vast assembly of beings, gods, human and non-human beings pay
homage to it.”
From the midst of the Shrine there comes a mighty voice saying:
“Excellent! Excellent! World-honoured Śakyamuni! Thou art able to
preach to the great assembly the Wonderful Law-Flower Sutra of
universal and mighty Wisdom, by which bodhisattvas are instructed and
which the Buddhas themselves guard and teach. Thus it is, thus it is,
World-honoured Śakyamuni! All is true that thou sayest.”
The Spirit-Bodhisattva “Great Eloquence” asks on behalf of the
assembly:
“For what reason has this Stupa sprung out of the earth and from
its midst this voice proceeded?”
Then Śakyamuni Buddha replies:
“In this Stupa is the whole body of the Tathagata. Of yore, in the
past, innumerable thousands, myriads, kotis of asamkhyeya worlds away
in the east, there was a domain named ‘Jewel-clear’. In that domain
there was a Buddha named ‘Abundant Treasures’. When that Buddha was
treading the Bodhisattva-Way, he made a great vow, saying: ‘After I
become a Buddha and am extinct, if in any country in the universe there
be a place where the Law-Flower Sutra is preached, let my Stupa arise
and appear there, in order that I may hearken to that Sutra, bear
testimony to it and extol it, saying “Excellent”.’ When that Buddha had
finished his course and his extinction was approaching, in the midst
of gods, men, and a great host, he instructed his bhikshus: ‘After my
extinction, those who desire to worship my whole body should erect a
great Stupa.’ Wherever in the worlds of the universe, the Law-Flower
Sutra is preached, that Buddha, by the supernatural powers of his
vow, causes his Stupa containing his whole body to spring forth and
praises the Sutra saying, ‘Excellent! Excellent!’ Great Eloquence!
It is because just now the Tathagata ‘Abundant Treasures’ heard the
Law-Flower Sutra being preached, that his Stupa sprang up from the
earth and he extolled the Sutra saying ‘Excellent! Excellent!’”
[Illustration: 7. The light from the Buddha’s brow announcing to all
the worlds that he is about to preach the Lotus Sutra, and the sudden
appearance of the Ancient Buddha in his shrine]
“Thereupon the Bodhisattva Great-Eloquence, because of the divine power
of the Tathagata, said to the Buddha: ‘World-honoured One! We
earnestly desire to see this Buddha.’
“The Buddha then addressed the Bodhisattva-Mahasattva Great-Eloquence
thus: ‘This Buddha, Abundant-Treasures, has a profound and grave vow:
“When my Stupa appears in the presence of any Buddha that I may hear
the Law-Flower Sutra, if he desires to show me to his four groups, let
the Buddhas who have emanated from that Buddha, and who are preaching
the Law in the worlds in all directions, together return and assemble
in one place, and then will I appear in person”. So, Great-Eloquence,
I must now assemble the Buddhas who have emanated from me and who are
preaching the Law in the worlds in every direction.’
“Great-Eloquence replied to the Buddha: ‘World-honoured One! We would
also see the Buddhas emanated from the World-honoured One and worship
and pay homage to them.’
“Then the Buddha sent forth a ray from the white curl between his
eyebrows, whereupon eastward there became visible the Buddhas in five
hundred myriad kotis of nayutas of domains, as the sands of Ganges. All
those domains had crystal for earth, jewel-trees and precious textures
for adornment, were filled with countless thousands, myriads, kotis
of Bodhisattvas, with jewelled canopies stretched above them, covered
with network of jewels. All the Buddhas in those domains were preaching
the laws with ravishing voices, and innumerable thousands, myriads,
kotis of Bodhisattvas were also seen, filling those domains and
preaching to the multitudes. So, too, was it in the southern, western,
and northern quarters, in the four intermediate directions, in the
zenith, and the nadir, wherever shone the ray-signal from the white
curl.
“Then the Buddhas in every direction each addressed the host of his
Bodhisattvas saying: ‘Good sons! We must now go to Śakyamuni Buddha in
the Saha-world, and pay homage to the Precious Stupa of the Tathagata
‘Abundant-Treasures’.
“Thereupon this Saha-world instantly became pure, with lapis lazuli
for earth, adorned with jewel-trees, cords made of gold marking the
boundaries of its eight divisions; having no hamlets, villages, towns,
cities, great seas, great rivers, mountains, streams, forests, and
thickets; smoking with most precious incense; its ground strewn with
mandarva-flowers, spread with precious nets and curtains, and hung with
all kinds of precious bells.
“There remained only the assembled congregation, all other gods and men
having been removed to other lands. Then those Buddhas, each bringing a
great Bodhisattva as his attendant, arrived at the Saha-world and each
went to the foot of a jewel-tree. Every jewel-tree was five hundred
yojanas high, adorned in turn with boughs, leaves, blossoms, and fruit;
under those jewel-trees there were lion-thrones, five yojanas high,
also decorated with magnificent jewels. Then each of those Buddhas sat
cross-legged on his throne.
“Thus all around him the Three-Thousand-Great-Thousandfold World
was filled with Buddhas; though as yet, from even one point of the
compass, the Buddhas who had emanated from Śakyamuni Buddha had not
finished arriving. Then Śakyamuni Buddha, desiring to make room for the
Buddhas who had emanated from himself, in each of the eight directions
of space transformed two hundred myriad kotis of nayutas of domains,
all of them pure, without hells, hungry spirits, animals, and asuras,
and also removed their gods and men to other lands. The domains
thus transformed also had lapis lazuli for earth and were ornate
with jewel-trees, five hundred yojanas high, adorned in turn with
boughs, leaves, blossoms, and fruits; under every tree was a jewelled
lion-throne, five yojanas high, decorated with every kind of gem; and
there were no great seas, nor great rivers, nor any mountains.”
More and more vast worlds were transformed in like manner to receive
the approaching throng.
“At that moment the Buddha-bodies which had emanated eastward from
Śakyamuni, namely, the Buddhas who were each preaching the Law in
hundreds, thousands, myriads, kotis of nayutas of eastern domains as
the sands of Ganges, arrived and assembled. In like manner in turn
the Buddhas from the ten directions all arrived and assembled and
took their seats in the eight directions. Thereupon each direction
was filled with Buddha-Tathagatas from its four hundred myriad kotis
of nayutas of domains. Then the Buddhas, each under a jewel-tree,
seated on a lion-throne, sent their attendants to make inquiries
of Śakyamuni Buddha, each sending a double handful of jewel-flowers.
“Then Śakyamuni Buddha, beholding the Buddhas who had emanated from
him assembled together, each seated on his lion-throne, and hearing
that those Buddhas unitedly desired the Precious Stupa to be opened,
straightway rose up from his throne, and took his place in the Sky. The
four groups stood up, folded their hands, and with all their mind gazed
at the Buddha. Thereupon Śakyamuni Buddha with his right fingers opened
the door of the Stupa of the Precious Seven, when there went forth
a great sound, like the withdrawing of the bolt on opening a great
city gate. Thereupon all the congregation saw the Tathagata ‘Abundant
Treasures’ sitting on the lion-throne in the Precious Stupa, with his
undissipated body whole and as if he were in meditation. And they heard
him say: ‘Excellent! Excellent! Śakyamuni Buddha! Speedily preach the
Law-Flower Sutra. I have come hither in order to hear this Sutra.’
“Then the four groups, seeing the Buddha who had passed away and been
extinct for immeasurable thousands, myriads, kotis of kalpas, speak
such words as these, praised the unprecedented marvel, and strewed
on the Buddha ‘Abundant Treasures’ and on Śakyamuni Buddha heaps of
celestial jewel-flowers. Thereupon the Buddha ‘Abundant Treasures’
within the Precious Stupa shared half his throne with Śakyamuni
Buddha, speaking thus: ‘Śakyamuni Buddha! Take this seat!’
Whereupon Śakyamuni Buddha entered into the Stupa and sitting down
on that half throne folded his legs. Then the great assembly, seeing
the two Tathagatas sitting cross-legged on the lion-throne in the
Stupa of the Precious Seven, reflected thus: ‘The Buddhas are sitting
aloft and far away. Would that the Tathagatas, by their transcendent
power, might cause us together to take up our abode in the Sky!’
Immediately Śakyamuni Buddha, by his transcendent power, received all
the great assembly up into the Sky, and with a great voice, universally
addressed the four groups saying: ‘Who is able to declare the Wonderful
Law-Flower Sutra in this Saha-world? Now indeed is the time. The
Tathagata not long hence must enter Nirvana. The Buddha desires to
bequeath this Wonderful Law-Flower Sutra, so that it may ever exist’.”
The dramatic and apocalyptic character of the work is no more
clearly evident than in this chapter. The splendid imagery of the
ancient Buddha appearing in his shrine, poised in the sky, the
unbolting of the door, the invitation to Śakyamuni to sit by him,
the still more striking conception of raising the whole congregation
into the heavens, even from a world already purified and expanded,
in which no longer was there any mountain, nor sea, nor river—all
this presentation of a gorgeous vision, such as no earthly eyes
could see, exhibits a Buddhism never preached by Śakyamuni while on
earth. Had the Mahayanists declared this Sutra to be a revelation
made by Śakyamuni after his withdrawal from earth, their position
would have been less vulnerable.
The verse section has passages such as the following, the speaker
being Śakyamuni:
“The Holy World-honoured Lord,
Albeit for long extinct,
And in his Precious Stupa,
Yet comes to hear the Law.
How then can any not be
Zealous in the Law?
This Buddha has been extinct
For countless numbers of kalpas.
Yet from place to place he goes,
To hear this rarely-preached Law.
This Buddha of old made a vow—
‘After my final extinction,
I will wander anywhere
And ever to hear this Law.’
Innumerable Buddhas,
Who emanated from my person,
Many as sands of Ganges,
Have come to hear the Law,
And to behold the long extinct
Tathagata ‘Abundant Treasures’.
Each, leaving his wonderful land
And his multitude of disciples,
Gods, men, and nagas,
And all their offerings,
Has come here to this place
To ensure the Law will long abide.
In order to seat these Buddhas,
By my transcendent powers,
I have removed innumerable beings
And cleared my own domain.”
Again:
“Whoever is able to care
For the Law of this Sutra
Will be deemed to have worshipped
Me and ‘Abundant Treasures’,
This Buddha ‘Abundant Treasures’,
Who dwells in the Precious Stupa,
And wanders everywhere
For the sake of this Sutra.
He will moreover have worshipped
These my emanated Buddhas,
Who adorn and make resplendent
All worlds everywhere.
If he preaches this Sutra,
Then he is deemed to have seen me
And the Tathagata ‘Abundant Treasures’,
Also my emanated Buddhas.
All ye, my good sons!
Let each carefully ponder
That this is a difficult task,
Needing a great vow.
All the other sutras,
Numerous as sands of Ganges,
Though one expounded them all,
’Twould still not be counted hard.
If one took up Sumeru
And hurled it to another region
Over numerous Buddha-lands,
Neither would that be hard.
If one were with his toes
To move a Great Chiliocosm
And hurl it afar to another land,
That also would not be hard.
If one stood on the summit of All things,
And expounded to all beings
The countless other sutras,
That also would not be hard.
But if, after the Buddha’s extinction,
In the midst of an evil world,
One is able to preach this Sutra,
This indeed is hard.
Though there should be a man
Who grasps the sky in his hand
And with it wanders about,
That is still not hard.
But if, after my extinction,
One himself should copy and keep,
Or cause another to copy this Sutra,
That indeed is hard.
If one took the great earth,
Put it on his toe-nail
And ascended to the Brahma-heaven,
That would still not be hard.
But, after the Buddha’s extinction,
In the midst of an evil world,
To read aloud this Sutra for a moment,
That indeed will be hard.
Though one, in the last conflagration,
Should carry a load of dry hay,
And pass through the fire unseared,
That would still not be hard.
But, after my extinction,
If any one keeps this Sutra
And proclaims it to one man only,
That indeed will be hard.
If one kept the Eighty-four Thousand
Sections of the Law
And the Twelve Divisions of Sutras,
Expounded them also to others,
And caused those who heard to gain
The Six Transcendent Towers—
Though he had such power as this,
That would still not be hard.
But if, after my extinction,
One hears and receives this Sutra
And searches into its meaning,
That indeed will be hard.”
Again:
“I, on account of Buddhahood,
In innumerable lands
From the beginning until now,
Have expounded many Sutras;
But, amongst them all,
This Sutra is the chief,
If any one is able to keep it,
Then he keeps the Buddha’s Body.
All you, my good sons!
Let him who, on my extinction,
Is able to receive and keep,
Read and recite this Sutra,
Now in presence of the Buddha,
Himself announce his vow!
This Sutra so hard to keep,
If one keeps it but a short time,
I shall still be pleased,
And so will all the Buddhas.
Such a one as this
Will be praised by all the Buddhas;
Such a one is brave;
Such a one is zealous;
Such a one is named Law-keeper
And Dhuta-observer;
Speedily shall he attain
To Supreme Buddhahood.
He who in the future
Can read and keep this Sutra,
Is truly a Buddha-son,
Dwelling in the stage of pure goodness.
After the Buddha’s extinction,
He who can expound its meaning,
Will be the eye of the world
For both gods and men.
He who, in the last age of fear,
Can preach it but for a moment,
By gods and men
Will be venerated.”
XII
That this chapter may be an interpolation is explained in the
Introduction. It proceeds to recount how Śakyamuni, ages ago,
“through innumerable aeons tirelessly sought the Law-Flower Sutra.”
“During many kalpas I was long a king and vowed to seek the
Supreme Wisdom, my mind never relenting.” “I bestowed alms
unstintingly—elephants, horses, the seven precious things, countries,
cities, wives, children, male and female slaves, servants and
followers, head, eyes, marrow, brain, the flesh of my body, hands,
and feet, unsparing of body and life. At that time people’s lifetime
was beyond measure. For the sake of the Law, I gave up the throne
of my domain, deputed my government to the prince-royal, and with
beating drum and open proclamation, sought everywhere for the truth,
promising—‘Whoever is able to tell me of a Great-Vehicle, him I will
all my life provide for, and be his footman.’ At that time a certain
hermit came to me, the king, and said: ‘I have a Great-Vehicle, named
Wonderful Law-Flower Sutra. If you will not disobey me, I will explain
it to you.’ I, the king, hearing what the hermit said, became ecstatic
with joy and instantly followed, providing for his needs, gathering
fruit, drawing water, collecting fuel, laying his food, even of my body
making his seat and bed, yet never feeling fatigue of body or mind.
While I thus served a ♦millennium passed, and for the sake of the
Law, I zealously waited on him that he should lack nothing.’
♦ “millenium” replaced with “millennium”
“The aforetime king was myself and the sage at that juncture was the
present Devadatta himself.”
Then he foretells the future destiny of Devadatta, that he will become
a Buddha named “Deva-king”, or “King of the gods”.
“If there be, in a future world, any good son or good daughter who
hears this Devadatta chapter of the Wonderful Law-Flower Sutra, with
pure heart and believing reverence, and is free from doubt, such a one
shall not fall into the hells or become a hungry spirit or animal,
but shall be born into the presence of the Buddhas of the universe.
Wherever he be born he will always hear this Sutra; and whether he
be born amongst men or gods, he will enjoy marvellous delight. As
to the Buddha into whose presence he is born, his birth shall be by
transformation from a lotus-flower.”
Thereupon one of the attendants on the Buddha “Abundant Treasures”
within the Stupa, by name “Wisdom-Store”, says to his master: “Let
us return to our own land!” But Śakyamuni Buddha answers
Wisdom-Store: “Good son! Wait a while. Here is the Bodhisattva,
Manjuśri. First meet and discuss with him the Wonderful Law and then
return to your own land.”
“Thereupon Manjuśri, sitting on a thousand-petal lotus-flower, large as
a carriage-wheel, and the Bodhisattvas who accompany him, also sitting
on jewelled lotus-flowers, unaided spring up from the great ocean,
out of the palace of the Sagara Dragon-King. Taking up his place in
the sky, he advances to the Divine Vulture Peak, alights from his
lotus-flower, goes before the Buddha, and reverently makes obeisance
at the feet of the two World-honoured Ones. When he has expressed his
reverence he goes over to Wisdom-Store and, after they have asked
of each other’s welfare, they withdraw and sit on one side. The
Bodhisattva Wisdom-Store asks Manjuśri: ‘Virtuous Sir! Since you went
to the Dragon palace, how many beings have you converted?’ Manjuśri
answers: ‘Their numbers are immeasurable, they cannot be calculated,
nor expressed in words, nor fathomed by the mind. Wait but a moment:
let me give the proof.’ Before he has finished speaking numberless
Bodhisattvas, sitting on jewelled lotus-flowers, spring up from the
sea, advance to the Divine Vulture Peak, and take their places in the
Sky. All these Bodhisattvas have been converted and saved by Manjuśri.”
Then the Bodhisattva Wisdom-Store extols him thus in verse:
“Most wise, brave and strong one!
Thou hast converted countless beings,
As now this great assembly
And I have all seen.
Expounding the principle of Reality
And revealing the One-Vehicle Law,
Widely hast thou led the living
To attain with speed to Bodhi.”
Manjuśri replies: “That which in the midst of the ocean I always
proclaimed, was no other than the Wonderful Law-Flower Sutra.”
Wisdom-Store asks Manjuśri: “This Sutra is very profound and subtle,
the pearl of all the Sutras, a rarity in the world. Is there any
being who, diligently and zealously practising this Sutra, can attain
speedily to Buddhahood?”
“There is the daughter of the Dragon-King Sagara,” Manjuśri replies,
“just eight years old, wise and keen of faculties, well acquainted
with the karma arising from the roots of action of all creatures, who
has obtained dharani, has been able to receive and keep all the most
profound and mystic treasuries revealed by Buddhas, and has deeply
entered into meditations and penetrated into all laws. In a moment of
time, she resolved on Bodhi and attained to non-relapse to mortality.
She has unembarassed powers of argument, and has a compassionate
mind for all the living as if they were her children; her merits are
complete and the thoughts of her mind and discourses of her mouth are
both subtle and great. Kind and compassionate, virtuous and modest,
gentle and beautiful in her disposition, she has been able to attain to
Bodhi.”
The Bodhisattva Wisdom-Store doubtingly replies: “I have seen how
Śakyamuni Tathagata, during innumerable kalpas, in doing arduous and
painful deeds, accumulating merit and heaping up virtue, sought the
Way of Bodhi ceaselessly and without rest. I have observed that in his
Three-Thousand-Great-Thousandfold-Worlds there is not even a spot
as small as a mustard-seed where he has not laid down his body and life
as a Bodhisattva, for the sake of the living; and only after that has
he attained to Bodhi. It is incredible that this girl, in but a moment,
should become perfectly enlightened.”
[Illustration: 8. The Dragon King comes up from the ocean to receive
the Buddha’s instruction]
“Before he has ceased talking, the daughter of the Dragon-King suddenly
appears before them and, after making reverent obeisance to the Buddha,
withdraws to one side, extolling Him thus in verse:
“Profound seer of sin and goodness,
Illuminator of the universe;
Whose spiritual body, ethereal and pure,
Has the Thirty-two perfect Signs;
With the Eighty kinds of Excellence
Is his Spiritual Body adorned;
To whom gods and men look up,
Nagas and spirits pay reverence,
And all species of living beings
Pay their worship and honour;
Hearing the Truth, I attained to Bodhi;
To this only a Buddha may bear witness.
I will reveal the Great-Vehicle teaching
Which delivers creatures from suffering.”
Thereupon Śariputra says to the daughter of the Dragon-king:
“You state that in no length of time you attained to the Supreme
Way. This thing is hard to believe. Wherefore? Because the body of a
woman is filthy and not a vessel of the Law. How can she attain to
Supreme Bodhi? Buddhahood is so vast that only after passing
through innumerable kalpas, enduring hardship, accumulating good works,
and perfectly practising the Perfections, can it be accomplished.
Moreover, a woman by her body still has five hindrances, viz., she
cannot become, firstly, king of the Brahma-heaven: secondly, Sakra;
thirdly, a Mara-king; fourthly, a Holy Wheel-rolling King; and fifthly,
a Buddha. How then could a woman’s body so speedily become a Buddha?”
“Now the Dragon’s daughter possesses a precious pearl, worth a
Three-Thousand-Great-Thousandfold-World, which she holds up and
presents to the Buddha, and which the Buddha immediately accepts. The
Dragon’s daughter then says to the Bodhisattva Wisdom-Store and the
Honoured Śariputra:
“‘I have offered my pearl, and the World-honoured One has accepted
it—was this action speedy?’
“‘Most speedy’ they answered.
“‘By your supernatural powers behold me become a Buddha, even more
rapidly than that!’ says the daughter.
“At this moment the entire congregation sees the Dragon’s daughter
suddenly transformed into a male, perfect in Bodhisattva-deeds, who
instantly goes to the World ‘Spotless’ in the southern quarter, where
she sits on a precious lotus-flower, attaining perfect enlightenment,
with the Thirty-two Signs and the Eighty kinds of Excellence, and
universally proclaiming the Wonderful Law to every living creature in
the universe.”
Great is the rejoicing that follows among the disciples, as also
amongst gods and the spirits, high and low, and many are converted
or make progress in faith and powers.
The immediate conversion of the daughter of the dragon-king into a
Buddha is a remarkable tribute to the spirit of the Lotus doctrine,
revealing its freedom from every hindrance to the Universal
Salvation it preaches. It is distinctive in this respect among all
the Mahayana sutras, that even a female can become, and become
immediately, a Buddha. Whether the chapter is an interpolation or
not, it has had a profound effect on Mahayana doctrine and
propagation.
XIII
The King of Healing and another great Bodhisattva named Eloquent,
are now introduced. Whether they are creations from the author’s own
imagination, or of a preceding age is not known. The two seek to
allay the Buddha’s anxiety in regard to the future of the Lotus
Doctrine in this realm of Śakyamuni’s Buddhaship.
“Be pleased, World-honoured One, to be without anxiety! After the
extinction of the Buddha we will keep, read, recite, and preach this
Sutra. In the evil age to come, living beings will decrease in good
qualities and increase in utter arrogance, coveting gain and honours,
developing their evil qualities and being far removed from deliverance.
Though it may be difficult to teach and convert them, we, exerting our
utmost patience, will read and recite this Sutra, keep, preach, and
copy it, pay every kind of homage to it, and be unsparing of body and
life.”
Companies of disciples also approach to take the same vow. They are
followed by the Buddha’s aunt, who was also his foster-mother.
Standing before him with her six thousand nuns, she gazes into his
face silently. In reply to her appealing look he says:
“Why, with sad countenance, do you gaze at the Tathagata? Are you
not thinking that I have not mentioned your name nor predicted you
to Perfect Enlightenment? Gautami! I have already inclusively
announced that the future of all my disciples is predicted. Now you,
who desire to know your future destiny, shall in the worlds to come
become a great Teacher in the law of sixty-eight thousand kotis of
Buddhas. And these your six thousand bikshunis, still in training
and already trained, will become teachers of the Law. Thus you will
gradually become perfect in the Bodhisattva-Way, and will become a
Buddha entitled ‘Loveliness’ Tathagata.”
To Rahula’s mother is promised similarly the title of “The Perfect
Myriad-rayed Tathagata”. These two and all their followers rejoice
with great joy, and take the vow to preach the Lotus Truth.
After these the vast assembly of Great Bodhisattvas, who may be
described as the angels and archangels of Buddhism, approach the Buddha
and with folded hands, reflect thus:
“If the World-honoured One commands us to keep and expound this Sutra,
we will proclaim abroad this Law as the Buddha has taught it.” Again
they reflect thus: “The Buddha now is silent; we are not commanded.
What shall we do?”
“Then these Bodhisattvas, respectfully obeying the Buddha’s will and
themselves desiring to fulfil their original vow, before the Buddha
raise a lion’s roar and utter a vow saying: ‘World-honoured One! After
the extinction of the Tathagata we will compass and travel through the
worlds in every direction, in order to lead all the living to copy this
Sutra, receive and keep, read and recite it, expound its meaning,
practise it as their law, and rightly keep it in mind; entirely by
the Buddha’s might. Be pleased, World-honoured One, though in another
quarter, to behold and guard us from afar!’”
The whole company now chant together a long poem from which the
following stanzas are taken. It will be observed that the author
shows he has already experienced the rejection of the new doctrine
at the hands of the orthodox. He reveals his resentment against the
Hinayanists in various ways, and especially against their calumny
that his Sutra has been invented for gain or fame and to delude the
people.
“Pray be without anxiety!
After the Buddha’s extinction,
In the last dread evil age,
We will proclaim this Sutra.
Though many ignorant men
Will with evil mouth abuse us,
And beat us with swords and staves,
We will endure it all.
Monks in that evil age,
Heretical, warped, suspicious,
Crying ‘attained’ when they have not,
Will have minds full of arrogance.
Others in the Aranya
Will wear the patched robe in seclusion,
Thinking they walk the true path,
And scorning dwellers among men.
Others greedy for gain,
Will preach the Law to laymen
And be revered by the world as Arhats
Of the Six Transcendent Powers;
These men cherishing evil minds,
Ever thinking of earthly things,
Assuming the name of Aranyas,
Will love to calumniate us,
Saying such words as these—
‘All these bhikshu-fellows,
Because of love of gain,
Preach an heretical doctrine;
Themselves have composed this Sutra
To delude the people of the world;
For the sake of acquiring fame,
They specialize on this Sutra.’
Always in the assemblies,
In order that they may ruin us,
To kings and to their ministers,
To Brahmans and to citizens,
To the other groups of bhikshus,
Of us they will speak slanderously,
Saying: ‘These are men of false views,
Who proclaim heretical doctrines.’
But, from reverence for Buddha,
We will endure those evils.
Though contemptuously addressed as—
‘All you Buddhas!’
Even such scorn and arrogance
We will patiently endure.
In the corrupt kalpa’s evil age.
Abounding in fear and dread,
Devils will take possession of them
To curse, abuse and insult us.
But we, reverently believing Buddha,
Will wear the armour of long-suffering;
For the sake of preaching this Sutra
Every hard thing we will endure.
We will not love body nor life,
But care only for the Supreme Way.”
And again:
“In the presence of the World-honoured One
And the Buddhas from every direction,
Thus we make our vows,
And the Buddha knows our hearts.”
XIV
The great Bodhisattva Manjuśri now addresses the Buddha in praise of
this vast concourse, which has pledged itself wholly and solely to
The Lotus doctrine. He asks how they are to preach it in the evil
age to come. Thereupon the Buddha lays down certain rules, which are
styled the Four Methods.
The first is styled the Bodhisattva’s Sphere of Action and Intimacy;
the second, that of a Serene Mind; the third, that of Thought
towards Others; and the fourth, that of Charity and Compassion.
In the Sphere of Action and Intimacy, the bodhisattva “dwells in a
state of patience, is gentle and agreeable, is neither hasty nor
overbearing, and his mind is unperturbed; he has no active interest
in affairs, but sees all things in their reality, and neither takes
part in nor discusses them”. As to his intimates, he has no intimacy
with kings, princes, ministers, and rulers; nor with heretics and
naked fakirs; nor with authors of worldly books of prose or poetry;
nor with pugilists, sportsmen and jugglers; nor with hunters,
fishermen and butchers; nor with keepers of domestic animals for
food. He may preach the Law to them when they seek him, expecting
nothing in return. His ♦objection to Hinayana is so strong that he
will not consort with its disciples, nor speak to them, neither
within nor without. If they should come to him, he preaches the
Sutra to them.
♦ “objecjection” replaced with “objection”
He is strict in conduct towards women and girls. He should not
“preach the Law to women, displaying an appearance capable of
arousing passionate thoughts, nor have pleasure in seeing them; if
he enters the homes of others, he does not converse with any girl,
virgin, widow, and so forth, nor again does he become on friendly
terms with any hermaphrodite; he does not enter the homes of others
alone; if for some reason he must enter there alone, then with
single mind he thinks on the Buddha; if he preaches the Law to
women, he does not show his teeth in smiles, nor let his breast be
seen; not even for the sake of the Law does he ever become intimate
with them, how much less for other reasons. He takes no pleasure in
keeping young pupils, sramaneras, and children; nor has he pleasure
in being with them as teachers; but ever preferring meditation and
seclusion, he cultivates and controls his mind. Manjuśri! This is
termed the first Intimate Sphere of a Bodhisattva”.
His proper sphere of Intimacy is with things in their reality. He
looks upon them as empty, void, unreal and thus sees them as they
really are, “just like space, of the nature of nothingness, cut off
from the course of all words and expressions, unborn, not coming
forth, not arising, nameless, formless, really without existence,
infinite, boundless, unimpeded, unrestrained, only existing in
causation and brought into being through perceptive perversion.”
“If any Bodhisattva
In the future evil age
With fearlessness of mind
Desires to preach this Sutra,
Let him occupy his Sphere of Action
And his proper Sphere of Intimacy;
Ever avoiding kings,
And the sons of kings,
Ministers and rulers,
Brutal and dangerous performers.
. . . . .
Let him also not consort
With men of arrogance
Devoted to the study of the
Tripitaka of Hinayana.
. . . . .
Nor with female disciples
Fond of banter and laughter.
. . . . .
But if such people as these,
In goodness of their mind,
Come to the Bodhisattva
To hear the Buddha-Way
Then the Bodhisattva,
With fearless of mind,
Cherishing no expectation,
Should preach to them the Law.
. . . . .
If there should be any monk
Who, after my extinction,
Enters this Sphere of Action
And this Sphere of Intimacy,
When he preaches this Sutra,
He will be freed from timid weakness.
When this Bodhisattva
Enters his quiet room,
And, in perfect meditation,
Sees things in their true meaning,
And, rising from his meditation,
Whether to kings or nations,
Or princes, ministers and people,
To Brahmans or to others,
Opens up, expounds,
And preaches to them this Sutra,
His mind shall be at ease
And free from timid weakness.
Manjuśri!
This is the Bodhisattva’s
First Law of Steadfastness,
By which he is able, in future ages,
To preach the Law-Flower Sutra.”
The second Sphere is that of Serenity. In preaching he has no
pleasure in exposing the errors of others, or of the Sutras; he
despises not other preachers, nor speaks of their good or evil,
their merits or demerits; nor does he single out disciples by name
and expose their sins, nor by name praise their virtues; nor does he
cherish dislike. By keeping well such a serene heart, those who hear
will not oppose him. “To those who ask difficult questions, he does
not give answer after the manner of the Hinayanists, but in Mahayana
fashion, explaining in such manner that they may obtain Perfect
Knowledge.”
“The wise man in ways such as these,
Rightly cultivates his mind,
And is able to abide serene.
The merit of such a man,
Thousands, myriads, kotis of kalpas
Spent in reckoning and comparison
Would not suffice for the telling.”
The Third Sphere is that of his attitude of mind towards others; but
it is not easy to distinguish this Sphere from the last. He “does
not cherish an envious, suspicious and deceitful mind; nor does he
slight and abase the learners of the Buddha-Way and seek out their
excesses and shortcomings”. He does not distress any seekers,
causing them doubts and regrets. He does not indulge in
disputations. He is reverent to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and
preaches the Law, neither more nor less. Nothing can perturb such a
monk and multitudes will flock to hear him.
“Let him who would preach the Sutra
Renounce an envious, angry, proud,
Deceitful or false mind,
And ever do upright deeds;
He should disparage none,
Never argue over the Law,
Nor cause others doubts or regret,
. . . . .
But ever be gentle, patient,
And compassionate to all.”
The Fourth Sphere of Action is that of Charity towards laymen and
friars, and Compassion for those not yet bodhisattvas. He should
remember that these people are great losers, for they have never
learnt the true Way. “Though they have not sought, nor believed, nor
understood this Sutra”, yet, says the Buddha, “when I have attained
to my Perfect Enlightenment, wherever I am, by my transcendent
powers and powers of wisdom, I will lead them to take up their abode
in this Law.”
The disciple who reaches and accomplishes the Fourth Sphere, when he
preaches will be free from error, and will ever be revered by all
disciples, kings and princes, ministers and people, brahmans and
citizens. The gods will protect him and will reveal to him the
answer to those who confront him with hard questions; because this
Sutra is that which all Buddhas, past, present, and to come, watch
over by their divine powers.
Then follows a parable to show that it is the very jewel of jewels,
the crown-jewel of the Buddhas.
“It is like a powerful sacred Wheel-rolling King who desires by force
to conquer other domains. When minor kings do not obey his command,
the Wheel-rolling King calls up his various armies and goes to punish
them. The King, seeing his soldiers distinguish themselves in the war,
is greatly pleased and, according to their merit, bestows rewards,
either giving fields, houses, villages or cities, or giving garments
or personal ornaments, or giving all kinds of treasures, gold, silver,
lapis lazuli, moon-stones, agates, coral, amber, elephants, horses,
carriages, litters, male and female slaves, and people; only the
crown-jewel on his head he gives to none. Wherefore? Because only on
the head of a king may this sole jewel be worn, and, if he were to give
it, his retinue would be amazed. Manjuśri! The Tathagata is also like
this. By his powers of meditation and wisdom, he has taken possession
of the domain of the Law and rules as King over the triple world. But
the Mara-kings are unwilling to submit. The Tathagata’s wise and holy
generals fight against them. With those who distinguish themselves he,
too, is pleased, and in the midst of his four hosts preaches the Sutras
to them, causing them to rejoice, bestowing on them the meditations,
the emancipations, the faultless roots and powers, and all the wealth
of the Law. In addition, he gives them the city of Nirvana, saying that
they have attained to extinction, and attracts their minds so that
they all rejoice; yet he does not yet preach to them this Law-Flower
Sutra. Manjuśri! Just as the Wheel-rolling King, seeing his soldiers
distinguish themselves, is so extremely pleased that now at last he
gives them the incredible jewel so long worn on his head, which may not
wantonly be given to any one, so also is it with the Tathagata.
“As the Great Law-King of the triple world, teaching and converting the
living by his Law, when he sees his wise and holy army fighting
with the Mara of the five mental processes, the Mara of earthly ills,
and the Mara of death, and doing so with great exploits and merits,
exterminating the three poisons, escaping from the triple world, and
breaking through the nets of the Maras, then the Tathagata also is
greatly pleased. Now at last he preaches this Law-Flower Sutra which
has never before been preached, and which is able to cause all the
living to reach perfect knowledge, though the world greatly resents
and has difficulty in believing it. Manjuśri! This Law-Flower Sutra
is the supreme teaching of the Tathagatas and the most profound of
all discourses. I give it to you last, just as that powerful king at
last gives the brilliant jewel he has guarded for long. Manjuśri! This
Law-Flower Sutra is the mysterious treasury of the Buddha-Tathagatas,
which is supreme above all Sutras. For long has it been guarded and not
prematurely declared; to-day for the first time I proclaim it to you.”
“It is like to a powerful
Wheel-rolling King
Who, to his war-distinguished soldiers,
Makes presents of many rewards,
Elephants, horses, carriages,
Litters, personal ornaments,
As well as fields and houses,
Villages and cities;
Or bestows garments,
Various kinds of jewels,
Slaves and other wealth,
Bestowing all with joy;
But only for one, heroic
And of rare exploits,
Does the king take from his head
The crown-jewel to give him.
Thus also is it with the Tathagata;
He is the king of the laws,
Possessing great powers of endurance
And the treasury of wisdom;
With great benevolence,
He transforms the world with his Law.
Seeing every human being
Suffering from pains and distresses,
Seeking for deliverance,
Fighting against the Maras,
To these living beings,
He has preached various laws
And, in great tactfulness,
Has preached these numerous Sutras;
Finally knowing the living
Have attained developed powers,
At the very last he to them
Preaches this Law-Flower,
As the king takes from his head
The jewel and bestows it.
So this Sutra is pre-eminent
Among all the Sutras.
I have always carefully guarded
And not prematurely revealed it.
Now, indeed, is the time
To preach it to you all.
After my extinction,
Whoever seeks Buddhahood
And desires in serenity
To proclaim this Sutra,
Should associate himself with
Such four rules as these.
He who reads this Sutra
Will ever be free from worry
And free from pain and disease;
His face will be fresh and white;
He will not be born poor,
In low estate, or ugly.
All creatures will delight to see him
As of a longed-for saint;
Heavenly cherubim
Will be his servitors.
Nor sword, nor staff, will be laid on him;
Poison cannot harm him;
If any one would curse him,
That man’s mouth will be closed.
Fearlessly he will roam
Like to a Lion-king.
The radiance of his wisdom
Will shine forth like the sun.
If he should be in dreams,
He will only behold the wonderful,
Seeing the Tathagatas
Seated on Lion-Thrones,
Preaching the Law to hosts
Of surrounding bhikshus.
. . . . .
He will also see the Buddhas,
With the sign of the golden body,
Emitting boundless light,
Illuminating all beings,
And with their Brahma-voices,
Discoursing on the laws.
While Buddha to the four groups
Is preaching the Supreme Law,
He will find himself in the midst
Praising Buddha with folded hands;
Hearing the Law with joy.”
XV
The Great Bodhisattvas, numerous as the sands of Ganges, who had
come from other Buddha-realms, now offer their services to Śakyamuni
Buddha in his realm. But to them he replies that he already has vast
numbers of Great Bodhisattvas of his own.
“Enough! My good sons! There is no need for you to protect and keep
this Sutra. Wherefore? Because in my Saha-world there are in fact
Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as the sands of sixty thousand Ganges; each
one of these Bodhisattvas has a retinue as the sands of sixty thousand
Ganges; these persons are able, after my extinction, to protect and
keep, read and recite, and preach abroad this Sutra.”
“When the Buddha has thus spoken, the earth of the
Three-Thousand-Great-Thousandfold Land of the Saha-world trembles
and quakes and from its midst there issue together innumerable
thousands, myriads, kotis of Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas. All these
Bodhisattvas with their golden-hued bodies, thirty-two Signs, and
boundless radiance, have before been dwelling below this Saha-world,
in the space supporting this world. These Bodhisattvas, hearing the
voice of Śakyamuni Buddha preaching, spring forth from below. Each
one of them is the commander of a great host, each leading a retinue
as the sands of the sixty thousand Ganges; moreover, others lead
their retinues as the sands of fifty thousand, forty thousand, thirty
thousand, twenty thousand, ten thousand Ganges, down to the sands of
one Ganges, the sands of half a Ganges, a quarter of it, down to
a fraction of it, the decimal point of thousands, myriads, kotis of
nayutas; moreover, a thousand myriad kotis of nayutas of followers, a
myriad kotis of followers, a thousand myriad, a hundred, or even ten;
moreover, those who lead five, four, three, two disciples, or even
one disciple; moreover, one who is alone, happy in the practice of
isolation. Such Bodhisattvas as these are immeasurable, illimitable,
beyond the powers of comprehension by calculation or comparison.
“When these Bodhisattvas have emerged from the earth, each goes up
to the wonderful Stupa of the Precious Seven in the sky, where are
the Tathagata Abundant-Treasures and Śakyamuni Buddha. On their
arrival they make obeisance with faces to the ground towards both
the World-honoured Ones and, going to the Buddhas seated on the
lion-thrones under the jewel-trees, they also salute them, three times
making procession round them on their right, with folded hands revering
them, and extolling them with all kinds of Bodhisattva hymns. Then they
stand on one side, with delight gazing upon both the World-honoured
Ones.
“From the time that these Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas first issue from the
earth and extol the Buddhas with all kinds of Bodhisattva hymns, in
the interval there pass fifty minor kalpas. During this time Śakyamuni
Buddha sits in silence; silent also are the four groups; but the fifty
kalpas, through the divine power of the Buddha, seem to the great
multitude as but half a day.”
The four leaders of this vast host then ask the Buddha:
“Is the World-honoured One at ease,
With few ailments and troubles?
In instructing the living beings,
Is he free from weariness?
And are all the living
Readily accepting his teaching?
Do they not cause the World-honoured
To become weary and tired?”
“Yes! Yes! My good sons!” replies the Buddha, “The Tathagata is at
ease, with few ailments and few troubles. These beings are easy to
convert and transform and I am free from weariness.... All these beings
from first seeing me and hearing my preaching, have received it in
faith, and entered the Tathagata-wisdom, save those who had practised
and learnt the Hinayana; but even such as these I have now caused to
hear this Sutra and enter the Buddha-Wisdom.”
The Bodhisattvas reply:
“Good! Good!
Great Hero, World-honoured One!
All these living creatures
Are easily transformed by thee,
Are able to inquire into
The profound wisdom of Buddhas
And, hearing, to believe and discern.
We therefore felicitate thee.”
Maitreya and the disciples are amazed at this vast concourse, and at
Śakyamuni claiming them as his Bodhisattvas.
“These countless thousands, myriads,
This great host of Bodhisattvas,
We have never seen their like.
Be pleased to tell, honoured of men,
Whence came they and why
They are thus assembled
Mighty of frame, transcendent in power,
Of wisdom inscrutable,
Strong of will and memory,
Firm in endurance,
Whom all rejoice to see—
Whence came they?”
A long account follows descriptive of their countless numbers:
“If any one tried to keep tally
Through kalpas as Ganges’ sands
He still could not tell their number.
All these great, majestic,
Zealous Bodhisattva hosts—
Who has preached the Law to them,
Instructed and perfected them?
. . . . .
From every quarter of the riven earth
They all spring forth from its midst.
World-honoured One! From of old
We have never witnessed such beings.
. . . . .
We know not a single one
Among this countless host,
Who suddenly spring from the earth.
Be pleased to tell us the cause!
. . . . .
What is the course of their history?
World-honoured One of measureless Virtue
Wilt thou resolve our doubts?”
In like manner the disciples of the concourse of other Buddhas
present, each asks his own Buddha the same question: This vast
concourse of the glorified—whence came they?
“Good, good! Ajita!” replies Śakyamuni to Maitreya, “Well have you
asked the Buddha concerning so great a matter. Do you all, with one
mind, don the armour of zeal and exhibit a firm will, for the Tathagata
now intends to reveal and proclaim the wisdom of Buddhas, the sovereign
and supernatural power of Buddhas, the lion-eagerness of Buddhas, and
the awe-inspiring forceful power of Buddhas.”
[Illustration: 9. Kuan-yin, the Regarder of the Cries of the world,
saves the storm-tossed mariners who call for aid
From an A.D. 1681 facsimile of an A.D. 1331 edition of the illustrated
Kuan-yin chapter of this Sutra]
Then first in prose, afterwards in verse Maitreya is told:
“Ajita! Know thou!
These Great Bodhisattvas,
Who, from past numberless kalpas,
Have observed the Buddha wisdom,
All of these are my converts,
Whose minds I have set on the Great Way.
These Bodhisattvas are my sons
Who dwell in this Buddha-world.
Ever practising the Dhuta deeds,
Joyfully devoted to quiet places,
Shunning the clamour of crowds,
With no pleasure in many words.
All these sons of mine,
Learning and keeping the Law of my Way,
Are always zealous day and night,
For the sake of seeking Buddhahood;
They dwell below the Saha-world,
In the region of space beneath it.
Firm in their powers of will and memory,
Ever diligent in seeking wisdom,
They preach every kind of mystic law,
Their minds devoid of any fear.
I, near the city of Gaya,
Sitting beneath the Bodhi-tree,
Accomplished Perfect Enlightenment;
And rolling the supreme Law-wheel,
I then taught and converted them
And caused them to seek the One Way.
Now they all abide in the never-relapsing state,
And every one will become a Buddha.
What I now speak is the truth;
Believe it with single mind!
I from a long distant past
Have taught and trained all this host.”
Maitreya and the disciples again express their perplexity, wondering
how the Master can have instructed such a countless host in so short
a time. They remind him that but forty years have passed since his
own enlightenment under the bodhi-tree. How can he have accomplished
such mighty Buddha-deeds in so brief a period? If the host were
counted through all time, their numbers could not be told. These
Bodhisattvas are not beings of earth, but have lived through the far
past under countless numbers of Buddhas.
“World-honoured One! Such a claim the world will find it hard to credit.
“It is much as if there were a man, of fine complexion and black hair,
twenty-five years old, who pointed to centenarians and said: ‘These
are my sons’; and as if these centenarians also pointed to the youth
and said: ‘This is our father who begot and reared us’. This matter
is hard of belief. So also is it with the Buddha, whose attainment of
the Way is truly not long since. Yet this great host of Bodhisattvas,
for numberless, thousands, myriads, kotis of kalpas, for the sake of
Buddahood, have devoted themselves with zeal; they have entered deep
into, come out of and dwelt in infinite hundreds, thousands, myriads,
kotis of samadhis; have attained the great transcendent faculties
and for long lived noble lives; have been well able, step by step,
to learn all kinds of good laws; they are skilful in question and
answer, are treasures amongst men and of extreme rareness in all the
world. Yet to-day the World-honoured One has just said that, when he
attained to Buddhahood, he then caused them to set their minds on
enlightenment, instructed and led, and caused them to proceed toward
Perfect Enlightenment. It is not long since the World-honoured One
became a Buddha, yet he has been able to do this great meritorious
deed! Though we ourselves still believe that what the Buddha has
opportunely preached, and the words the Buddha has uttered, have never
been false, and also the Buddha’s knowledge is all perceived by us, yet
if newly-converted bodhisattvas hear this statement after the Buddha’s
extinction, they may not believe it, with resultant misdeeds, to the
destruction of the Law. So, World-honoured One, be pleased to explain
it, removing our doubts so that thy good sons in future generations, on
hearing this matter, shall also not beget doubt.”
“We ourselves believe the Buddha
And have no doubts upon this matter;
But beg the Buddha, for future hearers,
To explain, that they may understand.
For if any in regard to this Sutra
Should beget unbelief and doubt,
He would fall into evil karma.
Be pleased to make explanation
How these numberless Bodhisattvas
In so short a space of time,
Have been instructed and developed,
And abide in this ever-advancing stage.”
XVI
In reply to these questions Śakyamuni now makes his great
revelation. This chapter is the climax. It contains the author’s
declaration that the Buddha is Eternal, beyond all limits of time
and space. It is the Eternal Buddha who is in Śakyamuni. His is the
voice that speaks, His the vast host, His the Eternal Life which
gives its name to this chapter.
Then says the Buddha to the Bodhisattvas and the vast assembly:
“Believe and discern, all you good sons, the Tathagata’s word of Truth.”
Thrice he repeats it.
Maitreya, with folded hands, implores the Buddha, and all the
disciples cry with him three times,
“We beseech thee explain; we will believe the Buddha’s word.”
“Then the World-honoured, perceiving that the bodhisattvas thrice
without ceasing repeated their request, addressed them saying:
“‘Listen then each of you attentively to the secret, mysterious and
supernatural power of Tathagata. All the worlds of gods, men and asuras
declare: “Now has Śakyamuni-Buddha, coming forth from the palace of the
Sakya-clan, and seated at the place of enlightenment, not far from the
city of Gaya, attained to Perfect Enlightenment.” But, good sons, since
I veritably became Buddha, there have passed infinite, boundless,
hundreds, thousands, myriads, kotis, nayutas of kalpas. For instance,
suppose there were five hundred thousand myriad kotis, nayutas of
numberless Three-Thousand-Great-Thousandfold-Worlds; let some one grind
them to atoms, pass eastward through five hundred thousands, myriads,
kotis, nayutas of numberless countries, and then drop one of those
atoms; suppose he thus proceeded eastward till he had finished those
atoms,—what do you think, good sons, is it possible to imagine and
calculate all those worlds so as to know their number?’
.....
“‘Good sons! Now I must clearly announce and declare to you. Suppose
you take as atomized all those worlds, everywhere that an atom has been
deposited, and everywhere that it has not been deposited, and count an
atom as a kalpa, the time since I became the Buddha still surpasses
these by hundreds, thousands, myriads, kotis, nayutas of numberless
kalpas. From that time forward I have constantly been preaching and
teaching in this Saha-world, and also leading and benefitting the
living in other places in hundreds, thousands, myriads, kotis, nayutas
of numberless domains. Good sons! During this time, I have spoken of
the Buddha “Burning Light” and other Buddhas, and also have told of
their entering Nirvana. Thus have I tactfully described them all. Good
sons! Whenever living beings came to me, I beheld with a Buddha’s
eyes all the faculties, keen or dull, of their faith, and so forth;
and I explained to them, in stage after stage, according to their
capacity and degree of salvation, my different names and the length
of my lives, and moreover plainly stated that I must enter Nirvana.
I also, with various expedients, preached the Wonderful Law which is
able to cause the living to beget a joyful heart. Good sons! Beholding
the propensities of all the living towards lower things, so that they
have little virtue and much vileness, to these the Tathagata declares:
‘I, in my youth, left home and attained to Perfect Enlightenment.’ But
since I veritably became Buddha, thus have I ever been, only by my
expedient methods teaching and transforming all the living, so that
they may enter into Buddhahood, and thus have I made declaration.
“Good sons! All the sutras which the Tathagata preaches are for the
deliverance of the living—whether they speak of himself or speak of
others, whether they indicate himself or others, and whether they
indicate his own affairs or those of others; whatever they say is all
real, and not empty air. Wherefore? Because the Tathagata knows and
sees the character of the triple world as it really is; to him there is
neither birth nor death, neither going away nor coming forth; neither
existence in the world nor cessation of existence; neither reality nor
unreality; neither thus nor otherwise. Unlike the way the triple world
beholds the triple world, the Tathagata sees clearly such things as
these without mistake. Because all the living have various natures,
various desires, various activities, various ideas and reasonings,
so, desiring to cause them to produce the roots of goodness, the
Tathagata by so many reasonings, parables, and discourses has preached
his various Truths. The Buddha-deeds which he performs never fail for a
moment. Thus it is, since I became Buddha in the far distant past, that
my lifetime is of numberless kalpas, forever existing and immortal.
“Good sons! The lifetime which I fulfil in following the
Bodhisattva-Way is not even yet completed, but will be again twice the
previous number of kalpas. But now in this unreal Nirvana, I announce
that I must enter the real Nirvana. In this expedient way the Tathagata
teaches all living. Wherefore? If the Buddha abides long in the world,
men of little virtue—who do not cultivate the roots of goodness and
are spiritually poor and mean, greedily attached to the five desires,
and caught in the net of wrong reflection and false views—if they see
the Tathagata constantly present and not extinct, will become puffed
up and lazy, and unable to conceive the idea that it is difficult to
meet a Buddha, and be unable to develop a mind of reverence for him.
Therefore the Tathagata tactfully says: “Know, Bhikshus! The appearance
of a Buddha in the world is a rare occurrence.” Wherefore? In the
course of countless hundreds, thousands, myriads, kotis of kalpas, some
men of little virtue may happen to see a Buddha, or none may see him.
For this reason I say: “Bhikshus! A Tathagata may rarely be seen!” All
these living beings, hearing such a statement, must indeed realize the
thought of the difficulty of meeting a Buddha and cherish a longing and
a thirst for him; thus will they cultivate the roots of goodness.
Therefore the Tathagata, though he does not in reality become extinct,
yet announces his extinction.’”
_The Parable of the Physician._
“Suppose, for instance, a good physician, who is wise and
perspicacious, conversant with the medical art, and skilful in healing
all sorts of diseases. He has many sons, say ten, twenty, even up to a
hundred. Because of some matter he goes abroad to a distant country.
After his departure his sons drink his poisonous medicines, which send
them into a delirium and they lie rolling on the ground. At this moment
their father comes back to his home. Of the sons who drank the poison,
some have lost their senses, others are still sensible and, on seeing
their father approaching in the distance, they are greatly delighted,
and kneeling greet him:
‘“How good it is that you are returned in safety! We, in our
foolishness, have mistakenly dosed ourselves with poison. We beg that
you will heal us and give us back our lives.’
“The father, seeing his sons in such distress, in accordance with his
prescriptions, seeks for good herbs, perfect in colour, scent and fine
flavour, and then pounds, sifts, and mixes them and gives them to his
sons to take, saying thus:
“‘This excellent medicine with colour, scent and fine flavour all
perfect, do you take, and it will at once rid you of your distress so
that you will have no more suffering.’
“Those amongst the sons who are sensible, seeing this excellent
medicine with colour and scent both good, take it immediately and are
wholly delivered from their illness. The others who have lost their
senses, seeing their father come, though they are also delighted,
salute him and ask him to heal their illness, yet when he offers them
the medicine, they are unwilling to take it. Wherefore? Because the
poison has entered deeply, they have lost their senses, and even in
regard to this medicine of excellent colour and scent they say that it
is not good. The father reflects thus:
“‘Alas! for these sons, afflicted by this poison, and their minds all
unbalanced! Though they are glad to see me and implore for healing, yet
they are unwilling to take such excellent medicine as this. Now I must
arrange an expedient plan so that they will take this medicine.’
“Then he says to them: ‘Know, all of you, that I am now worn out with
old age and that the time of my death has arrived. This excellent
medicine I now leave here. You may take it and have no fear of not
being better.’ After thus admonishing them, he departs again for
another country and sends a messenger back to inform them: ‘Your father
is dead.’ And now, when these sons hear that their father is dead,
their minds are greatly distressed and they thus reflect: ‘If our
father were alive, he would have pity on us, and we should be saved and
preserved. But now he has left us and died in a distant country.’
“Deeming themselves orphans with no one to rely on, continuous
grief brings them to their senses; they recognize the colour, scent and
excellent flavour of the medicine, and thereupon take it, when their
poisoning is entirely relieved. Their father, hearing that the sons are
recovered, seeks an opportunity and returns, showing himself to them
all.
“‘Good sons! What is your opinion? Are there any who could say that
this good physician has committed the sin of falsehood?’”
The verse portion is much briefer than the prose, and contains only
a part of the teaching. The following is a selection from it.
“In order to save all creatures,
I expediently speak of Nirvana,
Yet truly I am not extinct,
But ever here preaching the Law.
I ever remain in this world,
In supernatural power,
So that all perverted creatures
Fail to see me, though near,
Looking on me as extinct,
Everywhere worshipping my relics,
Cherishing desire for goodness
And thirsting with aspiration.
When all creatures have submitted,
Are upright, and gentle in mind,
Whole-heartedly looking for Buddha,
Not caring for their own lives,
Then I with all the Samgha
On the Spirit Vulture-Peak appear,
And then I tell all creatures
That I exist here forever undying,
By means of expedients revealing
Myself as dead, yet not dead.
If in other regions there are beings,
Reverent and joying in faith,
Again I am in their midst
To preach the Supreme Law.
You, not hearing of this,
Only say I am extinct.
I, beholding all living creatures
Sunk in the sea of suffering,
At first do not show myself,
But set them expectant and thirsting,
Then, when their hearts are longing,
I appear to preach the Law.
In supernatural power,
Through kalpas numberless
On the Spirit Vulture-Peak am I,
And in other dwelling-places.
While the living see, at the kalpa’s end,
The conflagration in its burning,
Tranquil remains this realm of mine,
Ever full of gods and men,
Parks and many palaces
With every sort of gem adorned,
Blooming and fruitful jewel trees,
Where all creatures pleasure take;
The gods strike up their heavenly drums
And music make for evermore,
Showering down celestial flowers
On Buddha and His mighty host.
My Pure Land is not destroyed,
Though all view it as being burnt up,
And grief and horror and distress
Thus fill them to the full.
Those creatures, full of sin
By reason of their evil karma,
Through kalpas numberless hear not
The name of the most Precious Three.
But those who virtuous deeds shall do,
Are gentle and of upright nature,
These will ever me behold
Here expounding to all the Law.
At times unto this eager throng
I preach the Buddha’s eternal life.”
And, lastly:
“Like the physician who, with clever device
In order to cure his demented sons,
Though indeed alive, announces his death,
Yet none is able to charge him with falsehood.
I, too, being Father of this world,
Who heal all misery and affliction,
For the sake of the perverted people,
Though truly alive, say I am extinct;
Lest, because they always see me,
They should arrogant minds beget,
Be dissolute, set in their five desires,
And fall into karma-paths of ill.”
XVII
During the length of time that the Buddha tells of the eternity of
his life, vast hosts, numerous as sands of Ganges, attain to the
assurance of no further re-incarnation; others attain powers of
hearing and keeping the Law; others powers of eloquence and
argument; others of insight into infinite motion; others of
preaching the Law; others, after various stages, of Perfect
Enlightenment. The numbers given for each group are as the atoms of
various kinds and numbers of worlds.
While the Buddha is telling of the eternity of his life, on the host
of Buddhas seated on their lion-thrones beneath the jewel-trees and
on their retinues, on the Bodhisattvas and their retinues, and on
the assembly, there rain down celestial flowers and fine incense. In
the heavens the celestial drums resound with deep reverberation.
Celestial robes, jewels, necklaces, censers burning priceless
incense, descend upon the congregation. Celestial canopies arise
high as the Brahma-heavens; and countless Bodhisattvas sing praises
to the Buddhas.
Maitreya then arises from his seat and repeats this, in lengthy
verse.
“The Buddha has preached the rare Law
Never heard by us before.
Great is the power of the World-honoured,
And His lifetime beyond estimation.
. . . . .
With thousands, myriads of stanzas
The Buddha’s praise is sung.
. . . . .
Learning the Buddha’s life is limitless
All creatures are filled with joy,
The Buddha’s fame sounds through the Universe,
Enriching all the roots
Of goodness of the living,
To bring them to the Supreme Truth.”
The Buddha then proceeds to say that those who have heard and
believed, however feebly, his truth of the Eternal Life of the
Buddha, have merit surpassing the merit of works.
“Suppose,” he says, “there be any good son or daughter who, to obtain
Perfect Enlightenment, during eight hundred thousand kotis of nayutas
of kalpas, puts in practice the Five Paramitas ... these merits,
compared with the above-mentioned merit, are not equal to even the
hundredth part, the thousandth part, or indeed one part of a hundred
thousand myriad kotis of it; indeed neither numbers nor comparison
can make it known. If any good son or daughter possesses only such
merit of faith, there is no such thing as failing to obtain Perfect
Enlightenment.”
The verse part is still more elaborate in its comparison of the
respective values of faith and works. Though a man should live the
most devoted life and sacrifice everything—
“Yet, any good son or daughter
Who hears me declare my Eternity,
And believes with a single thought,
This one’s reward surpasses his.
. . . . .
Just as the present World-honoured One
Who, King of all the Sakyas,
On his Wisdom-Throne raised the Lion’s roar,
And fearlessly preached the Law,
So may we, in future ages,
Honoured and revered by all,
Sit on the Wisdom throne
And tell of long life in like manner.”
If any have faith in the Eternal Life of the Buddha, he will see the
Buddha always on the Spiritual Vulture Peak surrounded by the
celestial host ever preaching this Law. He will see, too, the realm
in which he lives resplendent with palaces and jewels. But he who
devotes himself to this Sutra will have joys even greater. Such a
one carries the Tathagata on his head, or as we may say, is crowned
with the Tathagata.